Doncaster Rovers see Wembley dreams go up in smoke as EFL Trophy journey comes to an end

Looking to secure just a second-ever trip to the national stadium - and a first since 2008 - Rovers couldn't find a way past their League One rivals with Ollie Norwood's early free-kick the difference on the night.

Rovers chief Grant McCann rolled the dice and made nine changes from the weekend defeat to Cardiff and one of those, goalkeeper Zander Clark, was picking the all out of his net after barely 10 minutes thanks to a sumptuous free-kick from Norwood. The former Sheffield United man wrapped his foot around the set-piece outside the area, with Clark clutching at thin air as he saw the ball fly past him.

Chances came and went for the visitors to increase their lead. Josh Stokes and Kyle Wootton both flashed efforts past the post whilst Lewis Bate was denied by legs of Clark. It was proving to be one-way traffic and Rovers had their goalkeeper to thank for denying two Stockport players in quick succession just before the break: Adama Sidibeh broke the offside trap and drew a fine low save from the Scot, who then showed his agility to get down to deny Lewis Bate.

All Rovers mustered in the first 45 minutes was a swivel-and-shot from veteran Billy Sharp, who remains five shy of 300 career goals. Sadly, his effort was straight at Stockport 'keeper Corey Addai.

McCann's reaction to that first half no-show was to make four changes and revert to a 3-5-2 set-up and there were half-hearted appeals for a quickfire penalty after the restart when Sharp went down claiming he had been fouled in the box. Sadly, nothing was given and rather than that be a springboard, it was the visitors who wrestled back the initiative.

Stockport's Sidibeh flashed a shot wide from an acute angle before Norwood saw a daisycutter just clear a post. Inbetween those attempts, Rovers fashioned little of note. Even as the clock ticked down Addai was largely under-worked.

It was perhaps something of a minor miracle that Rovers were even still in the contest as it petered out – Clark was to thank for that, due to ample saves – and with one of the last chances substitute Luke Molyneux botched a shot that just flew wide of goal. With that went the hosts' chances of reaching the showpiece next month, with their focus for the next two months now solely restricted to their remaining third tier fixtures.

Rovers: Clark, Nixon, Pearson, McGrath, Maxwell, Broadbent, Robinson, Close, Middleton, Sharp, Gibson.

Substitutes: Bailey for Broadbent 46; Molyneux for Nixon 46; Hanlan for Robinson 46; Senior for Maxwell 46; Adelakun for Close

Not used: Lo-Tutala, Gotts.

Attendance: 5,480.